All measures should be taken to deter N. Korea’s nuclear test

All measures should be taken to deter N. Korea’s nuclear test. April. 20, 2016 07:27. by 한기흥기자 eligius@donga.com.

South Korea, the United States, and Japan have warned North Korea of stronger collaborative actions in case of a fifth nuclear test, after holding trilateral talks in Seoul on Tuesday, following South Korean President Park Geun-hye's urge for caution against North Korea’s movement on Monday. Near Punggye-ri area, which is the North’s base for nuclear tests, increased movements in transportation, manpower, and equipment were seen this month, indicating another nuclear test. A foreign media reported that the regime had heralded a nuclear test to Russia, to be carried out before its party meeting scheduled on May 7.

Confronted with strengthened sanctions, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un seems to be preparing for another extreme measure to unite his regime and show off its nuclear power heading towards the party convention to be held first time in 36 years. Nuclear weapons and missiles are all he has got to demonstrate his "Powerful Nation." It could also be part of a plan to recover from the failed attempt to launch middle-range ballistic missiles on Kim Il Sung’s birthday (April 15). Before the launch at that time on March 15, he had warned another round of “nuclear test and launch of ballistic rocket able to equip nuclear warhead in the near future.”

South Korea’s Defense Ministry reckons it is likely that Pyongyang will explode nuclear warhead by connecting nuclear materials directly with detonators in the next nuclear text. If the North succeeds in this test, it will claim a success of developing technology to load ICBM with nuclear weapons. A Seoul-based national research agency saw that the North is already capable of such technology in short-range missiles. Given Kim Jong Un’s pace of preparing a third test in just four years into his office, while his father conducted two over his 20-year term, he could bring disaster to the Korean Peninsula if not effectively deterred. The South is not ready with sufficient defense plans against him.

Maybe the United Nations Security Council resolutions, which were adopted after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, are not enough. Kim will not easily let go of his nuclear plan unless his power or life is under threat. The ROK-US joint military drills that conducted as a deterrent against the North's fourth nuclear test will be over by the end of this month. It would be our duty to make the reckless leader realize that his dreams to be recognized as a nuclear nation and strike a peace deal with the U.S. are false.